Chile is reeling from one of the worst power outages it has faced in 15 years, impacting millions and prompting the government to declare a state of emergency.
On Tuesday, February 26, 2025, the blackout affected roughly 98% of households across the nation, with significant interruptions reported from Arica in the north to Puerto Montt in the south. The crisis has led to widespread chaos, particularly in major cities such as the capital, Santiago, where the subway system ground to a halt and emergency services scrambled to respond.
According to Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred), the blackout was triggered by unexpected damage to a high-voltage transmission line located in the Chico Norte region. Interior Minister Carolina Tohá confirmed this and emphasized, "There’s no reason to believe or assume there’s been sabotage involved. This is an exceptional event, an atypical system failure." This explanation dissipates initial fears of a cyber attack or malicious intent behind the outage.
The government imposed a nighttime curfew from 10 PM to 6 AM local time to prevent potential unrest. The measure will remain effective until stability is restored, with over 3,000 soldiers deployed across affected areas as part of the military's efforts to maintain public order. Tohá noted, "Our top concern is the safety of citizens. We want to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the power outage to commit crimes."
Unfortunately, the disruption has caused extensive chaos. Traffic lights are out across the city, leading to hazardous driving conditions, and public transport is non-operational, stranding thousands. Santiago's normally busy streets were devoid of the usual hustle and bustle as residents grappled with the effects—many reported being unable to access ATMs or withdrew cash. José Luis Orlandini, who experienced the power cut firsthand as he dined out, voiced the frustrations echoed among many: "There’s nothing. No cash. No money. Nothing."
The economic impact has also been severe. Many of Chile's copper mines, including the massive Escondida mine, lost power, impeding production, which could reverberate through global metal markets. Chile is the largest copper producer worldwide, and with the country as heavily reliant on this industry, the ramifications of such interruptions could be significant.
Hours after the initial outage, partial power was restored to varying areas, but the National Electricity Coordinator of Chile (CEN) reported no clear timeline for full restoration. Ernesto Huber, the CEN's head, said, "We have restarted several plants, primarily hydropower facilities," but cautioned the public about the extended downtime still needed to rectify the system failures.
The situation was compounded by the scrapping of the Festival Internacional de la Canción, Latin America's biggest music festival, also interrupted by the blackout. Performers like Morat and Sebastián Yatra, who were set to wow attendees, have had to postpone their appearances until Saturday.
The government's commitment to resolve the situation continues as they examine the root causes and work tirelessly to restore power across the vast affected areas. "This is a huge issue, and we’re trying to solve it as best as we can, but we can’t perform magic," said Transportation Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz. With the stakes so high, the country watches and waits for the light to return, as the full impact of this vast power outage remains uncertain.